Highlight Reel: Saturday Football Finals

November 28, 2016

By John Johnson
MHSAA Communications Director

The final day of the MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field in Detroit – powered by the Michigan Army National Guard – produced a first-time gridiron champion and a game-winning play that will be talked about for a long time.

Division 7

Pewamo-Westphalia 28, Detroit Loyola 14

Logan & Lehman Go Long - The Pewamo-Westphalia combo of quarterback Jimmy Lehman and receiver Logan Hengesbach connected for two touchdowns in the Division 7 title game against Detroit Loyola. Here's the second TD in the third quarter, with Hengesbach winning the jump ball to complete a 37-yard scoring play.

Johnson Powers Into the End Zone - Detroit Loyola gets on the board midway through the fourth quarter, when TE Keith Johnson makes a great play to catch a pass from Price Watkins and then power into the end zone to complete the 18-yard score.

Division 1

Detroit Cass Tech 49, Detroit Catholic Central 20

CC Takes the Early Lead - Detroit Catholic Central led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, taking the lead on this 35-yard pass interception return by Jack Morris.

The Peoples' Choice for Cass Tech - Detroit Cass Tech QB Rodney Hall tied a Finals record with five touchdown passes against Detroit Catholic Central - two going to Donovan Peoples-Jones, including this 49-yarder in the third quarter.

Division 5

Grand Rapids West Catholic 43, Menominee 7

Meyers Off to the Races - Grand Rapids West Catholic scored its first TD against Menominee on a pitch and catch from Gaetano Vallone to Brett Meyers covering 91 yards.

Hass Records a Finals First - Menominee uses special teams to get on the board in the third quarter. Sam Larson blocks the West Catholic field goal attempt, and Hunter Hass returns it 76 yards for a TD – the first time in Finals history a blocked field goal has been returned for a score.

Division 3

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 29, Muskegon 28

Pimpleton's Second Score - Lined up in the slot, Muskegon's Kalil Pimpleton gets his second 18-yard rushing touchdown of the Division 3 Final against Orchard Lake St. Mary's on the end-around to give his team a 21-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.

A Catch for the Ages - In the closing seconds of the Division 3 Final, Orchard Lake St. Mary's QB Caden Prieskorn hits Ky’ren Cunningham in the end zone with an 18-yard touchdown strike to give the Eaglets the win.

The MHSAA Football Finals are sponsored by the Michigan National Guard.  

PHOTO: Orchard Lake St. Mary's Chris Bean celebrates during Saturday's Division 3 Final. 

Football Finals Replay on FOX For Christmas

December 18, 2018

By John Johnson
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

The eight championship games of 2018 MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals will re-air on FOX Sports Detroit on Christmas Day. 

Here’s the complete schedule:

Dec. 25

8 a.m. – Division 8 – Reading 39, Breckenridge 20  – The Rangers hold the Huskies to 22 yards rushing, while Elijah Strine and Hunter Midtgard each score twice for Reading.

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10 a.m. – Division 2 – Warren DeLaSalle 29, Muskegon Mona Shores – Make it two in a row for the Pilots! QB Nolan Schultz rushes for three TDs and passes for a fourth.

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Noon – Division 6 – Jackson Lumen Christi 42, Montague 28 – Nick Thomas rushes for 249 yards and two touchdowns to carry the Titans to the championship.

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2 p.m. – Division 4 - Edwardsburg 28, Chelsea 7 – The Eddies put it away in the second half. Caden Goggins and Chase Sager combine for 243 yards to lead the way.

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4 p.m. – Division 7 – New Lothrop 50, Madison Heights Madison 44 - The highest-scoring Finals game ever! Hornets QB Avery Moore rushes for four TDs and 132 yards and passes for a fifth score in this one.

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6 p.m. – Division 1 – Clinton Twp. Chippewa Valley 31, Clarkston 30 - A Finals game for the ages. In the final minute of regulation, Clarkston scores and goes for the win, with Chippewa Valley stopping the 2-point conversion!

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8 p.m. – Division 5 – Hudsonville Unity Christian 42, Portland 7 – A total team effort for Unity, outrushing Portland 279-95. QB Isaac TeSlaa runs for two TDs and passes for a third.

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10 p.m. – Division 3 – Detroit Martin Luther King 41, Muskegon 25 – King breaks it open with three scores during a four-minute span of the final period. QB Dequan Finn throws four scoring passes, two to Dom Polidore-Hannah.

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Instant Video Downloads are $19.99, and Instant Audio Downloads are $4.99. 

Things are winding down for the holidays on MHSAA.tv with School Broadcast Program members heading into a break.

In its 10th year, the School Broadcast Program gives members an opportunity to showcase excellence in their schools by creating video programming of athletic and non-athletic events, with students gaining skills in announcing, camera operation, directing/producing and graphics. Pixellot – The NFHS Network’s automated streaming solution – is used by schools wishing to live stream games but lacking the ability to staff the events. The SBP also gives schools the opportunity to raise money through advertising and viewing subscriptions.

Here’s this week’s MHSAA.tv schedule of video streams being produced by School Broadcast Program members and the NFHS Network:

Tuesday, Dec. 18

Wednesday, Dec. 19

Thursday, Dec. 20